Chairman & Managing Director
At a time when the mobility industry is undergoing massive shifts, MG Group, one of India’s most respected privately-owned bus and coach manufacturers, has taken a bold step forward. With the unveiling of its all-new TIGRA intercity coach and a refreshed corporate identity, the company signals its transition from a behind-the-scenes engineering and low-cost mass manufacturing specialist to a brand-led premium mobility solutions provider. At the heart of this transformation is Anil Mohan Kamat, Chairman and Managing Director of MG Group, who is steering the Group through its next phase with clarity, resilience and purpose.
TIGRA Super-Premium Coach and MG’s New Corporate Identity
MG Group marked a defining moment in its journey with the unveiling of its new corporate identity and the launch of its new Super Premium Coach TIGRA, a fully engineered range of intercity coaches developed in-house. The twin unveilings, staged under the banners ‘RE:BORN’ and ‘Something Bold is on the Move’, at The Royal Senate, Palace Grounds in Bengaluru, signal the company’s strategic repositioning as a brand-led mobility solutions provider with a global mindset and a future-ready vision.
At the apex stands Anil Mohan Kamat, Chairman and Managing Director of MG Group, whose address and post-event interaction captured the emotional and strategic significance of the moment. “This is not just a product launch – it’s a comeback” said Anil. “It’s been very hard, but we are positive, we are optimistic, and we are strong. We are reborn.”
From Contract Manufacturer to Brand-led Mobility Solutions Partner
The unveiling of the new corporate identity also commemorates ten years since MG Group’s foray into the premium inter-city coach segment. The refreshed logo – with its uninterrupted flow from ‘M’ to ‘G’ signifying seamless journeys and a hexagonal silhouette symbolising engineering precision – represents MG’s shift from a high-volume low-cost contract manufacturer to a product-led brand with end-to-end design and execution capabilities offered to its range of customers such as OEMs, STUs, Fleet Operators, Dealers and Aggregators.
“This brand refresh marks a turning point – we are stepping out from behind the scenes as a reliable vendor to our esteemed OEM customers to now lead from the front with bold design, premium offerings like TIGRA and a stronger market presence,” said Anil. “What began as a first-generation entrepreneur’s pursuit is now a shared vision. Today, I stand at the helm not just as the custodian of that dream, but as its committed continuation”, paying tribute to his father and MG’s Late Founder, Mr. Mohan V. Kamat.
What sets this transformation apart is that it was born out of adversity. “We’ve been in our own cocoon, facing the blues of COVID,” Anil shared. “It was a hard phase – emotionally and operationally. But in the silence of the lockdown, we found resilience and clarity.” According to him, the company did not treat the pandemic as a pause, but as preparation – a time to redesign its business strategy, governance models and operating structures.
The formation of the MG Group Executive Council, the introduction of decentralised decision-making and a renewed emphasis on cross-functional leadership marked the beginning of what Anil calls “the new MG” – agile, accountable and ambitious. “This became the new MG – modern in its thinking, agile in its response and growing with professional accountability,” he said, crediting his advisor Ms. Parimala Rao and his leadership team for helping steer the company through the transition.
Strategic Focus: Growth with Ownership
Anil made it clear that MG’s growth story going forward will be about doing meaningful work – not chasing scale for the sake of volumes. “We want to tread carefully and focus on business that really matters to us. For me, the intercity coach segment is deeply personal – it gives us the platform to make a real difference by innovating and working towards elevating long distance road travel through enhanced passenger comfort and safety” he said.
While OEM and STU businesses continue to be very important for MG, Anil emphasised that they often leave limited room for innovation or identity as of yet. “Those are regulated lines of business which have been our forte for nearly three decades. In many cases, the product is not truly ours. The intercity coach space, however, allows us to exercise creative and entrepreneurial freedom with purpose.”
A significant signal of MG’s renewed confidence was its decision to restart operations at their Zaheerabad plant. “About 10–11 months ago, we made that call. It wasn’t an easy one. That has been our mother plant and a highly productive facility for us and having to shut down operations there during the downturn was immensely painful”, said Anil.
The restart decision was more than operational–it was symbolic of the company’s belief in its future. “This is not about getting back to where we were before COVID. It’s about building something fundamentally better, and certainly more resilient,” he said.
TIGRA as a Statement, Not Just a Product
While Anil refrained from overplaying the product specifics, he did frame TIGRA as a design-led statement of intent. “The product represents our aspiration. It was envisioned to transform the passenger experience – not just tweak it,” he explained. “It’s one of a kind in the industry right now. And from the early feedback we’ve received, I believe it will be seen as a paradigm shift.” MG’s new
Super Premium Coach TIGRA is a fully engineered, intercity coach developed in-house and is a testament to its statement ‘Something Bold is on the Move!’ TIGRA has been designed and manufactured at the company’s Belagavi plant, which has received investments in advanced tooling and quality systems to support next-generation product lines from MG. The coach will be available on all 13.5-metre OEM chassis platforms and shall cater to both domestic and neighbouring export markets.
At the event, MG’s President – Strategy & Sales, Sivakumar V. said, “MG is not just a legacy of engineering in mobility applications – it’s a legacy of character. TIGRA is poised to become a segment leader from day one.” Gireesha Prabhu, Chief Operating Officer, added, “Today, we don’t just unveil a new identity – we usher in a new era. One that’s bold in stance, global in vision, and human at heart.”
Looking Ahead: EVs, Partnerships, and a Clearer Purpose
MG Group is also exploring new partnerships in the electric bus space, including an early collaboration with Switch Mobility. “We’re just beginning that journey with Switch. It’s always been encouraging to work with a strong player like the Ashok Leyland Group,” said Anil. “There are other initiatives underway in the intercity EV space and cooperations with Coach Aggregators, but it’s a little early to speak about them publicly.”
However, he was quick to clarify that MG’s primary focus remains on consolidation, not expansion. “We’re not playing on the technology side of EVs just yet. Our focus right now is to recover from the COVID blues and realign ourselves with business that really matters to us.” That clarity of purpose –shaped by hardship, informed by legacy, and fuelled by transformation – is what defines MG Group’s new chapter. “The next chapter will not be built by legacy alone. It will be built by us – together as one MG,” said Anil. “We step into the future not quietly, but with intent. This is our new dawn, and it begins now.”
